The present application relates generally to cabinets for use in bathrooms and the like (e.g., medicine cabinets), although the concepts disclosed herein may also be employed in cabinets used in other locations and for other purposes. For ease of description, the following description will refer generally to such cabinets as “medicine cabinets.”
Medicine cabinets are a useful fixture in residential homes, as they allow a user to store toiletries to reduce clutter around, for example, a sink area. Medicine cabinets frequently include a mirror on the front surface of the cabinet, so as to maximize utility of the fixture. Most medicine cabinets are configured with internal shelves that extend the entire width of the cabinet. While this configuration can be useful for storing objects like toothpaste, toothbrushes and combs, consumers often must still resort to a countertop or under a sink for storing taller or larger objects such as hairspray bottles or electric toothbrushes.
In addition, to optimize the aesthetic appearance of mirrored medicine cabinets, most medicine cabinets are designed such that the mirrored door extends lower than, or at least to the same level as, the bottom of the medicine cabinet box. In cases where the medicine cabinet is placed on the floor or another surface prior to installation, this may result in damage to the mirror, because the mirror is generally the first component to contact the floor.
Medicine cabinet doors are typically connected to the frame or box of the medicine cabinet using hinges having any of a variety of configurations. One challenge associated with traditional cabinets is that creating a thinner medicine cabinet often means that conventional hinge designs can no longer be employed, since there is no space for the hinge to be accommodated.
It would be advantageous to provide an improved medicine cabinet that addresses these and other issues.